Sheet delivery mechanism for printing machines



w. F. HUCK Sept. 16, 1952 SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 24, 1948 3 Sheet s-Sheet I INVENTOR. BYWILLIAM F. HUCK ATTORMS'Y Sept. 16, 1952 w, HUCK 2,610,850

SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTiNG MACHINES Filed Feb. 24, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM F. HdcK ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1952 w. F.'HUCK 2,610,850

SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR; PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 24, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 8 I T l I i Q i'q 0 i r a a i I, m 1 s- I \9 I Q H I B j I :g I L 0 L INVENTOR WILLIAM F HUCK alm ATTO R N EY Patented Sept. 16 1952 SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES William F. Huck, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to Huck 00., New York, N. Y., a partnership Application February 24,1948, Serial No. 10,235

18 Claims. 1

. This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to the delivery mechanism attached to such machines, whereby sheets that have previously been printed, or otherwise processed in sheet or web form are laid down flat and stacked inapile. I V I The speed, atwhich a printing or other process can be carried on, determines toa large extent the price that has to be charged for the finished product. If the processing machines have to operate at a slow speed, the cost of the finished product is necessarily high, but if the processing machines can be operated at a high rateof speed, the cost of the product wil1 be low. Therefore it is desirable that printing and other sheet processing machines be operated as fast as possible. 7 It has been found that the speed at which fiat sheets can be delivered, after they have been processed, often determines the speed at which a whole processing machine can operate. Mechanisms now in use for delivering sheets from printing machines have left much to be desiredin that they are slow and thereby limit the printing or other processing speed. This is especially true when large sheets are being handled Therefore,it is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved delivery mechanism that will receive and deliver sheets at a speed much above the speeds now commonly attained.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved delivery mechanism which will form neat and accurate piles of sheets at a very high rate of speed. i

A further object of theinvention is to provide a new and improved means for speeding up the movement of grippers whereby, they can be made to receive a sheet while it is being carried by a fast moving cylinder.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for controlling th tail-end of sheets in a delivery mechanism.

Other important objects of this invention will 'be apparent from the following description and appended claims.

A practicalembodiment of the invention is rep 1 resented in the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a section of a machine embodying thisinvention and taken along the irregular'line l-l of Figure Figure 2 is a plan-view partly in section and taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the various positions assumed by parts of the conveyor mechanism while conveying a sheet; and a Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, taken along the line 4-4 of Figurel, showing the cam blocks and cam rollers. a

For a more complete understanding of my in vention and how it operates, to increase the speed of delivering sheets, referenceshould be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein "I have shown a new and improved sheet delivery mechanism comprising a pair of spaced main sideframes II and II. supported from the floor or may be connected to any type of sheet processing machine, as for examp1e, a printingmachine. Frames II and: support a plurality of instrumentalities including a pair of rotatably mounted cutting cylinders 12 and I3 each having cutting knives I4 that may be used to cut sheets from a web W. It will be understood that the cutting cylinders l2 and I3 form no part of the present invention, per se, and are shown simply to indicate that my delivery mechanism is capable of receiving sheets cut from a fast moving web. If the processing orprinting machine operates on sheets ins'tead'cf a web, the cylinders l2 and 13 are eliminated o otherwise silenced. The frames II and II supportjamong other items, a plurality of tape carrying idler rollers l6 and a fast rotating delivery cylinder [1. Tapes l8 and i9 pass over the rollers lliand also pass around and thus are driven by the cylinder IT. The tapes l8 and I9 receive and forward sheets in proper register with a cut-out 2| formed in the surface of the cylinder H. The method of registering these sheets is not herein shownor described in detail, because any satisfactory known registering means maylbe' used. The surface of thecylinder IT is perforated with a multiplicity of closely spaced holes 22, and the interior of thecylinder is exhausted toa pressure below atmospheric pressure by'means later to, be described. Thus, sheets S, fed by the tapes [8 and I9 are held to the surface of the. cylinder I! by suction. The frames .H and II also support a pair of stationary spacers 23' and 23', the spacer 23 being secured to frame II by screws 24, and the spacer 23' being secured to frame H. by screws 24. A cam block 26 is secured to the spacer 23 by screws 21, anda second cam block 26' is secured to the spacer-23' by screws 21'. A cross shaft 28 is rotatably supportedin both of the cam blocks 26 and 26 and at the same time one end 29 of this shaft isjournaled in the sideframe I I, and a plurality of other parts, some of them otatably mounted, are carried by the cam These side frames may be machine, it will be understood, feeds sheets to.

the delivery mechanism under consideration. Gear 3| meshes with and drivesa gear 32 ,keyed to one end 33 of the shaft of the delivery .cylinder l1. The other end 33' of cylinder I! has .a small gear 34 keyed to it. Gear drives a large gear 36 keyed to the end 29 of the shaft 28, and thus drives the shaft 28 at a reducedfratio of, say 4 to 1. It will be noted that the shaft .28 is .positioned axially by the gear 36 and a 'collar31. A pair of sprockets 38 and 38' are keyed to and thereby'are driven by the shaft 23. Sprocket '38 is located between the frame member l andthe cam blockZG, whereas, the sprocket 38' is located between the frame member II and the cam block 26. The sprockets 38 and 38' respectively carry and drive link chains 39 and 39, which in turn drive a pair of sprockets 4| and 4| keyed to opposite ends of a shaft42; the said shaft 42 being rotatably journaled in the cam blocks 25 and 26'. As best seen in Figures 1 and 3 the paths of the chains 39-39 are semi-circular as they pass over the sprockets 38-38'- and 4|4|' respectively. The paths of the-chains 3939' between'the sprockets are straight parallel lines. The shaft 42 is properly positioned with respect to they cam blocks by a pair of spaced collars 43 and 43' which are held to the shaft'42 by suitable setscrews. It will be noted that the herein before describedldriving mechanism is such'that, when the delivery cylinder (as'seen in Figure 1) isturning clockwise, the shafts 28- and 42, as well as the sprocket wheels mounted thereon; will be turning counterclockwise. This results in the top reach'of the chains 39 and 39 travelling from right to left as viewed 4..

in Figures 1 and 3, while the bottom reach of the chains travels from left to right. The front and back chains 39 and 39, as they travel around the sprockets, carry with them a plurality of evenly spaced gripper structures 44.

All of the gripper structures are identical and, therefore, only one will be described. Each gripper structure spans the. space between the .two chains; the front end of the structure being supported from the chain 39 by a long special chain pin 46 which replaces one of the standard pins in the chain. The pin 46 is journaled in a sub stantially U-shaped member having outsideand inside arms 41 and 48 respectively, which are positioned in planes parallel to the chain 39. Inside arm 48, in addition to supporting the pin 46, has a branch which carries an inwardly projecting pin 49 whichacts as an axle for a front cam roller At a point remote from the pin 49, the arm 48 joins an extension 52 which is normal to the chain 39. The arm 52 journals a gripper shaft 53, to the outer end of which is secured a cam lever 54 which by means of a pin 56 rotatably supports a cam roller 51. At a point remote from the arm 48, the extension 52 joins an intermediate portion of a front connecting bar 58. Opposite ends of the bar 58 support cross members 6| and 62, whereas a portion of bar 58 between the extension 52 and the member 6| carries an outwardly facing pin 63 which rotatably carries a cam roller 64. The cross members 6| and 82, as well as the gripper shaft 53, extend transversally of the delivery mechanism to a point where they join a rear connecting bar 58, which carries a pin 63', a roller 64'. an extension 52', as well as arms 48 and 47 for supporting a long pin 46', a pin 49' and a roller 5|. The parts -just designated-by primed numerals are equivalents, except for being opposite ,hand, to parts previously designated by the same un-primed numerals. It will be understood that the spaced opposite ends of each one of the identically constructed gripper frames are supported from andcarried along by the chains 39 and 39.

Each, of thee previously described cam blocks 26 and 26' is provided with a pair of cam grooves on .opposite' side faces thereof. These cam grooves as best seen in Figures 3 and 4 are closed pathsalong which theplurality of cam rollers travel. Block 25 has an outfacing groove GB, which-guides camroller 5|, and also'has an-lnfacing groove 8'? which guides roller 64. Block 26 has an infacing groove 68 which guides roller-64' and an outfacing groove 69 which guides'roller 5| From Figure 1 it will'be noted that the path of the cam grooves 66 and 61 can and do cross one another without interference; inlike manner cam grooves'58 and 69 crossoneanother without interference. The gripper shaft 53, whereit extends -between the connecting bars 58 and 58, carries a plurality of spaced'grippers'll which are biased, by a; spring (not shown), to-a position where their distal or -free;endsare 'hcld'in contact with the crossbar 62. V

The configuration of the camgrooves 66,5 1, 38 and69-are such that the specialpins 46 and remain on the path'of thelchains'at all timesas the chains travel over the sprockets 98, 38',-below thespacers 23-and 23'," around the sprockets 4|, 4| and over the spacers 23 and 23'. As each gripper structure 44 successively swingsaround the center line of the shaft 28, and thus the center of-the sprockets 38 and '38, the angular acceleration and velocity, controlled by the cam grooves 56,-61, 68 and 69,-of the structure 44 is such that thecross member 62, and the ends'of grippers 7| contacting therewith, will move at a speed that, at least for a short'period of'time is equal to the peripheral or surface speed of the delivery-cylinder H. The position and size oi' the sprockets 38 and 38, and the length and configuration of arms 48--4'|58 are such, withrelation to the surface of the cylinder ll that, when the ends of the grippers H are-travelling at the same speed as the surface of, the cylinder l1, they will also be positioned in the cut-out or recess 2| provided in the cylinder |1. Furthermore, a gripper cam 12 held to the frame II by screws 74 is so located, constructed, and arranged that it will be contacted by the roller 51, and

thereby operate thegrippers 1| at just the proper instant. Those versedin the artwill realize that each gripperfas it thus accelerates to the surface speed of the cylinder l1, grips the leading end of the sheet 5 currently being presented -by-the delivery cylinder l1. "As soon as the leading end of'the sheet has been gripped, the gripper bar 62 slows down or deoelerates to a speed that is about of the speed it had when it was travelling at the surface speed of the cylinder IT. This deceleration is obtained by the proper configuration of the cam grooves 66, 61, 68 and 69. In the preferred embodiment of the invention this reduced speed is reached just about the time that the special long pins 4545' pass from their curvilinear path, to the'straight-path at the bottom of: the sprockets 38-38. Eachtime the cylinder l1 completes a rotation and thus carries a sheet forward one of the plurality of gripper structures 44 will take a sheet from the cylinder IT.

A more complete understanding of the movement of the gripper structures 44 and the grippers carried thereby can be had by reference to the diagrammatic representation shown in Figure 3. In this drawing the path of the chain 39 is represented by a solid line carrying dots. The path of cam roller 5| and'the groove 66 is represented by a dash-dot-dot line, and the path of the cam roller 64 and the groove 61 is represented by a dash-dot line. The path of the grippercross member 62 is represented by a closed solid line. The left portion of Figure 3 shows the gripper structure 44 as it is speeded up so as to cause the gripper to move at the surface speed of the cylinder I1, and then slowed down again. On this portion of Figure 3 the gripper structure is moving counterclockwise around the shaft 28. in position I of Figure 3 the gripper structure is shown to form an angle of minus forty degrees (-40") with a vertical center line. In the next shown position 11 this angle has been reduced to minus thirty degrees (30). This is caused by a change in direction of the cam grooves .66 and 67. The line from the center of the sprocket 38 and shaft 28 through the long chain pin 46 forms an angle of minus forty-three degrees 0-43"). This indicates that the position of the structure 44 is angularly dependent solely on the cam grooves 66 and 61. The next. position III shows an angle of .plusfifteen .degrees with the vertical center line and minus thirty degrees with the sprocket center line passing through the pin 45. At position IV the cross member 62 of the structure '44 has its highest velocity and now forms an angle of plus seventyseven degrees (+77") and passing exactly. on the radial line from the sprocket to the pin 46. In observing the distances travelled by the gripper 62-'H between positions 1,, II; III, IV, it

will be noted that these distances progressively become greater despite the fact that the distances between the successive positions of the pins 46 from position to position are in all cases the same. Thenext position V forms an angle of plus one hundred thirty-seven degrees (+137") with the vertical center line, an angle of plus thirty degrees (+30") with the radial center line through the sprocket center and pin center 46. Positions VI, VII and VIII indicate how the displacement of the grippers become less and less as the gripper structure passes from position VI to position VIII. In other words the grippers are accelerated-from positions I to IV and are decelerated from position IV to positionVIII. In the right portion of Figure 3 the positions IX and X indicate the approach of the sheet S and the grippers 62-ll to delivery position. In position XI the cam groove 66 raises the roller 5| while the'cam groove 6'! lowers the roller 64 thus causing the gripper structure 44 to have a clockwise angular motion around the pin 45. This slows down the linear speed of the cross member 62 and the gripper ll. Position XII indicates the extreme clockwise position of the structure 44 around the pin 46, with the roller Si in high position and the roller 64 in the lower position. From here on the cam paths 66 and 61 rotate the structure 44 through positionsXIII, XIV, XV;

XVII, XVIII, and XIX to theupper horizontal portion of the conveyor.

It will be noted that this arrangement permits controlled angular accelerations of the conveyor structure 44 around pin 46 in accordance with a desired mathematical formula. This results in a conveying motion that is free from: impacts and abrupt application and cessation of acceleration forces. Furthermore this conveyor mechanism permits a considerable speeding up as well as slowing down of the gripper structure which would not otherwise be pos-v sible. It will be understood that the above described motion could also be obtained to'a limited degree by providing only one roller, either roller 64' or roller5l, with its corresponding cam path, and by guiding pin 43 in a path following that of the chain 39.

In order to be able to control the many sheets that are taken by the grippers, I have provided an enclosure member or housing indicated.- generally, by the numeral 8!. This housing has an angled upper wall 82, that extends from a position BS'just under the path of the sheets S as they approach the cylinder 11, to a point 84 where it joins the top of a fan casing 86. This wall 82 is apertured, as at 81, to allow the tapes l9 to pass therethrough. The bottom of. the housing is closed by a reverse curved wall 88, that extends from the under part of the fan casing 85 to a position 89 where it acts as a guide member for guiding one side of a pile of sheets 9!. The two sides of the enclosure member are formed by side walls 92 and 93. The fan casing 86 supports a motor 94 having an impeller '95 which functions to exhaust air or other fluid medium from the bottom portion of the enclosure 8i and thereby create a comparatively slow moving column of air or other fluid which flows through the openings 22 in the cylinder ll down through the enclosure 8| and out past the fan impeller 96. The flow of air through the enclosure may be regulated by varying the speed of the motor 94, or, as I have chosen to show. by providinga movable baffle plate or damper 91, that is pivoted on a shaft liil to which is secured a lever E93 controlled by a link IE2. The

link I52 is under the control of a governor, or other speed controlling means, as for example controller 35 associated with the machine that processes or prints the web W, or sheets 5, before they reach the cylinder ll. Thus the amount of air handled by the fan 96 is a function of the speed of the printing or other processing machine.

After the grippers H have reached below the front or leading edge of a sheet and thereby gripped the sheet, the leading edge of the sheet is carried forward and assumes the successive positions indicated in Figure 1 by the letters b, 0, (1,6,1, 9, h, i, 7', 7c, Z and m. The successive positions of the trailing edge of the sheet are indicated by the letters e, f, g, h, z", :i', is, Z, and

m. As the leading edge of the sheet approaches the point p, the configuration of the cam grooves 66, 61, 68, and 69 is such that the grippers H and member 62 slow down to substantially a momen-' tary standstill; this being indicated by the letters 1), q and r in Figure 1. At this point a stationary lnspectloit lssp'rovided; and includes a 'shaft 1 01 journaled in frame supported brackets" I108. .zA hand lever 109 :issecuredttto the shaft Al 01 and is biased' counterclockwise 1(Figure 1) by a spring I. Atransparent'guard H2 encloses' the right end :(Figure 1) of thel'mechanism and thus protects an operatorwho'may use thelever I09.

The 'fan '96 and the'h'ousing 8l assists incontrolling the'movement of the sheets astheyt move from the cylinder :11 to the pilot]. The'tfan 9G 'evacuates the'cylinder' l'lland thus causes the sheetsto be held. to the uppersurface thereof as the cylinder rotates clockwise as seen in Figure 1. The uniformly and comparatively slow :moving air 'columnxin the enclosure 8| tends to pull each sheet :lightly into :the" enclosure .-'untili the tail'of the sheetsis released from the'cylinder' 1| 1 and the tapes I 9. 'The main body of movingxair, which moves in a direction substantially: perpendicular to the main body ofthe sheets S, then pull's'the tailof the sheet through thexsuccessivepo'sitions-byc, d; e';'j', g' h', i, 7', k,'l., 111' until the sheet conforms to the curved wall '88. Atalltimes, and even. after the sheets are on the wall 88,'the rsheets are'separat'ed' from one another'by a quantity of air-as itimoves from the mouth of theenclosure, as defined by'theposition-83' and'the position .89; toward the fan '96.

An observationof Figure l willshowthat speed of :the trailing .end of the sheet, when itmoves from a position f to a" position m',=will be greater than' the speed of the'leading end of the'sheet, as'it imoves from the position f to' the position m. However, when the trailing end of the sheet arrives atthe position m, it will be seen to be movingat substantially the'sameJspeedas the leading edge of the sheet at position m.

"Figure 4 shows one of the set of cam blocks 2t 26"which is satisfactory for one sized sheet and one particular set of operating conditions. It will be understood thatcam grooves of other configuration and other changesin design'may be used in the above described mechanism without departing'from the spirit of the invention.

The operation of the device will be understood from "the above detailed description of the mechanism, however, the following resume will help toward a complete understanding 'of my invention. A sheet S, which may be fed as such or which may be out from the Web W,. is guided around the cylinder -l'i by the tapes l8-'-l9 and the sheet is held to the cylinder I! by suction produced by the fanrQB. Theileading end of the sheet will 'be'in proper register with the'indentation 2| of the cylinder ll. Thegrippers ll-62 are so timed that the front or leading edge of the sheet will be gripped at the proper instant by the gripper H. The uniformspeed of the sprockets 3.38"and the chains -3 9-39", as they movethegripper structures 44 past the-cylinder 1! is amplified, first by the distance that the grippers are from the center of the sprockets, and alsoby the coaction of thecam rollers'5|-- fil and H t- 64 controlled by the cam grooves'fifi, 61, 68,"and 69; which areso constructed and arranged so as to be aditiveandthereby obtain a gripper speed that is equal to the fullspeed of the sheet S'as it is carried by the cylinder I! at'the instant the grippers take the sheet. The motion of the grippers'and therefore" the motion of theleading edge of the sheet is gradually reduced to say one-fifth of the surface or peripheral speed of the cylinder l7. Thereafter the speed of the forward edge of the-sheet'rem'ains substantially constant until rthe grippers reach the-points indicatedbyxhe polnts p; q,- jandmat whichpoint'lthezcaml grooves 66, 61,: 68,- 69' cause a partial reverse action toltakeplace at zthe gripper. This inturn causes "the speed, of the leading edge of the. sheet ito drop practically. to zero. At this point the cam 404 contacts roller 51- and thereby opensthe grippers releasing the sheet and allowing ittofdrop onto the pile 9|. The grippers" thereafter are carried around the upperreach of .the chains 39-33 to return tothe cylinderv IT foranother sheet. While the grippers'successively pass through thepoints indicated by :the letters 22;. c, d, to mythe slow moving-'aircolumn in the enclosure 8| controls the-rtail' of the :sheet S :in a manner previously described.

The-speed of-the printing or other processing machine: will control :the position of the, damper blade 91 and thus :obtain the proper amount and speed of air.

While I have illustrated and'described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will'be understood that -the invention may be otherwise embodied and'practiced within the scope of the'follo'w'ing claims.

' What I-aclaim as new and' desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-is:

' .1.'-A deliveryv mechanism, comprising; a sheet presenting member'moving at a high rate of speed and in a predetermined direction; aplurality of sheet-gripping mechanisms, each gripping mechanismhaving a gripper arranged-to grip a sheet; means moving at a uniform rate of speed that is slower than the speed of said'sheet carrying member, said means being connected to and moving said gripping mechanisms successively toward a sheet gripping position adjacent to said sheet presenting member and at said position moving said'sheet-in the samegeneral direction that said sheet presenting member is moving; a cam follower secured to each of said sheet gripping mechanisms; a .cam adjacentto the means moving at the uniform rate of speed and having an irregular path, which cooperateswith-the cam followers, to move each gripper during its gripping operation at a speed greater than the speed of said uniformly moving means and equal to the speed of the high speed sheet presenting means, said cam having, remote from said first path, a second path which-cooperates with the cam follower to move each gripper'substantially to a standstill; means for causingsaid grippers to grip the sheet while moving at the high rate of speed; and means for causing said grippers to release the sheet when they are substantially at a standstill.

v2. A delivery mechanism, comprising, asheet carrying member moving at a uniform high rate of speed-and presenting sheets moving in a predetermined-direction and at the same high rate of ,speed as said sheet carrying member; a relatively heavy conveying member continuously moving toward a location adjacent tosaid sheet carrying member and traveling at a uniform speed that is slower than the speed of said sheet carrying member, and thus slower than the speed at 'which said sheets are moving when presented, and'saidconveying member at at least one location moving in the same general direction as to each of said frames; a cam adjacent to' said conveying member and having an irregular path which cooperates with'said cam followers as said heavy conveyor membersuccessively carries each frame adjacent to said sheet carrying member, the said cam acting on each cam follower to pivot each frame in such a direction as to change the speed of movement of said gripper from the slow speed of said conveying member to the higher speed of said sheet carrying member; and means causing each gripper means to grip a sheet at the time the gripper means is moving at the speed of said fast moving sheet. 7 v V 3. A delivery mechanism constructed in accordance with claim 2; the cam of said mechanism having at a second location an additional irregular path which cooperates with said cam followers to pivot each frame about its pivotal portion in such a direction as to slow down the movement of each gripper means from the high speed of said sheet carrying member to the speed of said slower moving conveyor member.

4. A delivery mechanism constructed in accordance with claim 2; the cam of said mechanism having, at a second location, an additional irregular path cooperating with said cam followers to pivot each frame about its pivotal portion in such a direction as to slow down the movement of each gripper means from the high speed of said sheet carrying member to the speed of said slower moving conveyor; the cam of said mechanism having, at a third location, an addi-- tional irregular pathcooperating with said cam followers to pivot each frame about its pivotal portion in such a direction as to slow down the movement of each gripper means from the speed Of said conveyor member to a speed substantially equal to zero; and means operating each gripper means to release the sheet at the time each gripper is moving at the speed that is substantially equal to zero. I s

5. A delivery mechanismfor delivering a sheet, comprising, a high speed sheet-carrying-member having a center, and rotating and carryingthe sheet in a predetermined direction about said;

center; a uniformly moving conveyor having a .second center adjacent to said first center, said conveyor moving in a Well defined path at a predetermined base rate and successively having spaced portions that approach said'sheet-carrying member and turn about said second center in a rotational direction opposite to that of said sheet-carrying-member; a plurality of frame members having pivots pivotally connected to said spaced portions of said conveyor and said frame members having portions remote from said pivots; an irregularly shaped path-member adjacent to said conveyor andcooperating with and moving the remote portions of said frame members to increase the speed of said remote portions of the frame-members as they approach said sheet-carrying-member; and grippers carried by the remote portions of said frame members and receiving said sheets from said sheet carrying member when the remot portions are moving at the increased speed.

6. A delivery mechanism for delivering a sheet, comprising, a high speed carrying delivery cylinder presenting a sheet moving in a predetermined direction at a high speed, said cylinder having a plurality of holes formed in the peripheral surface thereof; a pair of uniformly moving chains operating at a'speed that is less than the speed of said sheet and in a pathwhichat at least one location extends in the same direction asrsaid 10 sheetis moved; a plurality of gripper-structures each having a portion pivotally connected to spaced portions of said chains; a sheet gripping mechanism formed on each of said gripper-struc tures and located remote from the portion pivot} ally connected to said chains; a cam-follower carried by each of said gripper-structures and positioned remote from said pivotand from said sheet gripping mechanisms; a cam, located adja cent to said chains, said cam guiding, said cam followers and thereby pivotally moving saidfigripg per-structures with respect to said chains as said chains move said gripper-structures, thus moving said sheet gripping mechanisms to sheet gripping relation withrespect to said cylinder, and also moving said sheet gripping mechanisms, while in sheet gripping relation, at .the same speed and in the same direction as said sheet; an enclosure having a mouth adjacent to said cylinder and' to the path followed by said chains; a fan located in said enclosure and exhausting air from said enclosure and from said, cylinder, the. fan there:- by producing suction in said cylinder and draw ing the sheets into said enclosure; means regulating the amount. of air exhausted by said fan; a cam located adjacent ,to said cylinder and causing said grippers to grip the sheet at the time the sheet gripping mechanisms are moving at the speed of said sheet; and .a second cam located remote from said cylinder and releasing j the sheets from the sheet gripping mechanisms when they are remote from the said enclosure.

'7. A delivery mechanism, comprising, means for presenting a plurality of fast moving sheets having leading ends moving in a predetermined down the relative speedof said grippers with respect to said conveyor; and an air moving im peller movingair between the plurality of sheets as the leading ends thereof are slowed-down, said air acting to keep the sheets separated one from the other and at the same time moving the ungripped ends of the sheets. 8. A sheet delivery mechanism, comprising, a plurality of identical sheet grippers; aiconveyor member moving at a uniform base speed; pivotal means mounting each of said grippers on said conveyor member; two camyfollowers'connected to eachof said sheet grippers; two cams adjacent to the said conveyor member, one cam having an irregular path which cooperates with one of the cam followers, and the other cam having an irregular path which cooperates with the other of said cam followers.

9. In a delivery mechanism arranged to grip a sheet moving in a predetermined direction at a high rate of speed and to deliver the sheet ata slow speed; a conveyor at atleast one location moving in the same direction as said sheet and at a constant base speed; a structure connected to and moved at the base speed by said conveyor as said conveyor moves; sheet gripping means connected to said structure and thus moved at the base speed as said structure is moved; guide means tion; of said path superposing an accelerating aerogsto :along bysaid structure and thereby. causing said gripping'means to move in-thesame direction'as said' sheet 'and' faster than the base speed; another portion of saidpath' remote from the'first p'ortion' superposing adecelerating force on said 'grippingmeans asitis-moved'along by said structure-and thereby causing said gripping means to move slowerthan'said base speed means operatin the gripping means to grip a, sheet when the grippingmeans. is-accelerated to a speed above the base speedandmeansoperating the gripping means to "release 'thesheet when the'gripping meansis deceleratedbelow the base speed.

110. A deliverymechanism, comprising, means for presenting a'sheet having a leading endmoving in aipredetermineddirection at'a high 'rateof speed; a .conveyor' moving in the same direction as theleading end of said sheet'butat aslower speed; a frame pivotally connected to and carried along by. said conveyoigs'aid frame having a portion remote'irom where'said frame vis'pivotally connected; agripper carried bysaid remoteportion ofisaid frame; a cam .roller carried by said frame. at a "location remote from where said frame ispivotally connected to said conveyor; and a cam. adjacent said conveyor and having an irregular. path which engagesand cooperates with .saidcam roller. in such amanner so that as said frame. is moved along by said conveyor the irregular path ofsaid cam acts on said cam roller ttosswing. said. frame aboutsaid' pivotal connection .in suchamanner that said grippercarried' by the .remoteiportion ofsaidframe' is moved in the same ili'rectionand at a speed equal to the speed of .saidsheetz at the time said gripper grips sai'dsheet.

Q11. -A delivery mechanism-, comprising, a. high speed.sheetcarryingmember arranged to present a sheet in .a predetermined direction at a high .speed; -a-uniforml'y movingconveyor moving in .the'same .direction as said .sheet. and. at a speed slowerlthan.thepresentation speedof. said .sheetratflleast onefr-ame; at least one pivotal member -carried bysaid conveyor .and pivotally attaching said frame. to said conveyor; at .least onecamroller carried by saidframe; at least one gripper carriedby said frame ata location -remote. fromsaidlpivotal member; andan irregularlyrshapedpath. member. adjacent to said conveyor and in cooperativeengagement with said cam roller, the shape of said irregularpath being of .suchla.configu-ration that said frame asit is moved alongby said conveyor is also moved about :said pivotal-member by said cam and. cam roller lin-asuchwa manner as to cause said gripper to move in'the same direction and at a speed equal .to-the speed of said sheet; and means causing said grippertogrip said sheet while it .ismoving in -.the samedirectionand at the speed of said sheet.

.-12..A delivery mechanism-for delivering a sheet, comprising, a sprocket rotating in a chosen direction; a chain carried by said sprocket; at least one gripper'structure pivotally connected to said chain and thus carried along and in the same direction as said chain; a high speed sheet carrying cylinder positioned adjacent to said sprocket and-rotating in a rotational direction opposite to :that of said sprocket, said high speed cylinder delivering sheets movinginone'direction 'to a location between said cylinder and said' sprocket; at .least one gripper carried by said gripper structure a'camroller carried by said gripper structure; and a cam groove adjacent to the chain and'havingian irregular path in which .the cam roller 12 tracks, said cam groove having'such acoriflgurw tion that. saidgripper structure isgiven pivotal movement inaddition to the movement itreceives from said chain thereby causing said gripper when'itgrips'the sheet delivered by said cylinder 'to' move at'a'spee'dfaster than the speed of said chainand in the same-direction as and a-t'substantially the same speed as the sheet being gripped.

1'3.'In a sheet delivery'mechanism; a member moving at a uniform rate of speed; a gripperframe; '-a pivot mounting said gripper-frame on said member; a gripper carried by said gripperframe at a'point'remote-from said pivot; a pair of cam followers carried by said gripper-frame-at locationsremote' from said pivot; and two cams adjacent said member, the paths ofsaid cams crossing and reorossing each other, and one of said cam followers cooperating with each of the cams.

14. -A-sheet delivery mechanism in accordance with claim 13in which a cam block is provided and-in which one of the cams is on one side of the cam block-and the other cam is on the other sideof the cam block.

15. A delivery mechanism in accordance with claim 2 in which said light weight frames which carry the gripper means are pivotally connected at closely spaced intervals along the conveying member; and inwhich an enclosure is provided having an opening adjacent to said sheet carrying member and'said heavy conveying member; and into one portion of which enclosure the gripper means successively move the forward ends of said gripper means will be closely spaced and in -superposed position; and in which an enclosure is provided having two openings, one of said openings being adjacent to said sheet carrying member and said heavy conveying member, and past the one opening of which the gripper means successively move the forward ends of the sheets; and a fluid exhaustingmechanism located adjacent the other opening of said enclosure thereby exhausting fluid from said enclosure and causing fluid to be drawn between the plurality of superposed sheets as they are moved from the location where said sheets are gripped.

'17. A delivery mechanism, comprising, a sheet carrying member .moving at a uniform predetermined speed and presenting sheets moving in "a predetermined-direction and at the same speed as said sheet carrying member; a conveying member continuously moving toward a location adjacent to said sheet carrying member and traveling at a uniform speed that is different 'than'the speed of said sheet carrying member,

andthus difierent than the speed at which said sheets are moving when presented, and said conveying memberat atleast one location moving in the same generaldirection as said sheet, a plurality of frames having pivotal portions pivotally connected to said conveying member and thus 13 carried along in the same direction and at the speed ofsaid conveying member; gripper means secured to each frame at locations remote from the pivotal mounted portions thereof; a cam follower secured to each of said frames; a cam adjacent to said conveying member and having an irregular path which cooperates with said cam followers as said conveyor member successively carries each frame adjacent to said sheet carrying member, the said cam acting on each cam follower to pivot each frame in such a direction as to change the speed of movement of said gripper from the speed of said conveying member to the speed of said sheet carrying member; and means causing each gripper means togripna sheet at the time the gripper means is moving at the speed of said sheet.

18. A delivery mechanism comprising a sheet carrying member moving at a uniform predetermined speed and presenting sheets moving in a predetermined direction and at the same speed as said sheet carrying member; a conveying member continuously moving toward a location adjacent to said sheet carrying member and traveling at a uniform speed that is different than the speed of said sheet carrying member, and thus difierent than the speed at which said sheets are moving when presented, and said conveying member at at least one location moving in the same general direction as said sheet, a plurality of frames having pivotal portions pivotally connected to said conveying member and thus carried along in the same direction and at the speed of said conveying member; gripper means secured to each frame at locations remote from the pivotal mounted portions thereof, pivoting means adjacent to the path of the conveying member and arranged to engage each of said frames in turn as they are carried by said conveying member adjacent to said sheet carrying member, and to pivot each frame in such a di- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 137,347 Cottrell Apr. 1, 1873 323,394 Campbell Aug. 4, 1885 1,156,903 Henderson Oct. 19, 1915 1,465,385 White Aug. 21, 1923 1,537,594 Elswor th et a1 May 12, 1925 1,614,940 Wright Jan. 18, 1927 2,033,320 Belluche Mar. 10, 1936 2,138,178 Lang Nov. 29, 1938 2,198,385 Harrold Apr. 23, 1940 2,208,978 Harrold et al July 23, 1940 2,226,674 Seybold Dec. 31, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 473,337 Great Britain Oct. 7, 1937 

